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Kenya 'safe', says tourist board

At least 69 people, including four Britons, have already been killed by gunmen since the attack was launched on Saturday night, and around 15 armed terrorists were still thought to be in the Westgate shopping centre on Monday morning.

A statement from Phyllis Kandie, the cabinet secretary for commerce and tourism insisted that prospective visitors to the country would be safe.

“The tourism sector joins other Kenyans in consoling the bereaved families, including those of foreigners, who have lost their lives during the Westgate attacks,” she said. “We wish to assure tourists that Kenya is peaceful and our security agencies are doing everything possible to ensure that everyone is safe. Visitors are thus welcome to visit all our tourist facilities across the country which are operating normally.

“Tour operators and travel agents have confirmed that tourism activities continue uninterrupted. The government has also scaled up security in other social places across the country.”

She added that two conferences, the Africa Hotel and Investment Forum and the Eco Tourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference, will still go ahead in Nairobi this week.

Her statement comes after the Kenyan president urged foreign governments not to issue travel warnings to its citizens so as to avoid harming the country’s valuable tourism industry.

Kenyan tourism has suffered in recent years with the abduction of two foreign tourists and the murder of another on the Lamu archipelago in 2011. Those incidents came just as the industry was recovering from the disputed Kenyan elections of 2007/08, and subsequent violence that left hundreds dead.

An acid attack on two British tourists also took place in Zanzibar, an island off neighbouring Tanzania, last month.

The Foreign Office has amended its travel advice to include mention of the Westgate attack, but is yet to warn Britons against travel to Nairobi, or Kenya as a whole, meaning anyone due to travel will not be able to cancel their trips free of charge.

“A major attack has taken place at the Westgate shopping centre in the Westlands district of Nairobi,” it said. “The incident is still ongoing, with reports of a number of casualties and hostages. Armed Kenyan security forces are on the scene. We advise British nationals to avoid the area and exercise extreme caution. Concerned British nationals are advised to contact the FCO helpline on +44 (0)20 7008 0000 and to keep monitoring travel advice.”

It already advises against all but essential travel to Nairobi’s Eastleigh district, and other “low income areas”, such as its townships and slums, as well as to all areas within 60km of the Kenya-Somalia border.